EPA approves continuation of UNL’s E30 research

In Nebraska, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved the continuation of groundbreaking research being done in Nebraska on E30 fuel.  Results of the State’s initial pilot program, launched in 2019, showed that E30 is safe and reliable fuel for use in conventional vehicles.  Under current EPA guidelines, only flex fuel vehicles (FFVs) can use ethanol blends higher than E15.  Through its second phase of research, the State intends to underscore its initial findings in order to support regulatory change to make E30 accessible to all drivers.

In June 2019, the State of Nebraska began its study on the use of locally sourced E30 biofuel in conventional vehicles.  State teammates outfitted 50 State-owned vehicles with onboard tracking systems to capture data on vehicle performance.  They monitored those vehicles for an entire year.  Data was submitted to engineers at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) for analysis.  

In 2021, UNL’s Engineering Department released its analysis of data from the first phase of the demonstration.  It clearly showed that E30, a blend of gasoline and 30% ethanol, is safe and efficient to use in non-FFVs. This peer-reviewed research was the first scientific demonstration of its kind.

The second phase of the E30 demonstration will begin in the fall 2022 and include up to 825 State vehicles.  While further demonstrating the safety and reliability of E30, the State will also significantly reduce its fuel costs and carbon footprint through the program.